Sri Swami Satchidananda
Sri Swami Satchidananda, founder of Integral Yoga®, helped shape the modern Yoga world in the West.
He is one of the most beloved Yoga masters of our time.
“We, the Yoga community, are deeply indebted to Sri Swami Satchidananda for his substantial contributions toward bringing the ancient teachings of Yoga into our modern context. His teachings will live on in the hearts of millions, and continue to influence the evolution of world peace, to which he dedicated his life.”
—Yoga Alliance Board of Directors
Yoga Trailblazer
Swami Satchidananda’s contributions to Yoga in the West are vast.
A few milestones:
- Created one of the first Yoga Teacher Training & Certification Programs
- Initiated one of the first Yoga programs in prisons and drug rehab centers
- Founded the first Yoga magazine in the USA
- Established one of the first residential Yoga ashrams
- Created translation and commentary on The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which became the top-selling edition of this Yoga classic
The Woodstock Guru
Listen to Swami Satchidananda's Woodstock address
Wellness Pioneer
- Lectured widely on the healing power of Yoga
- Inspired integrative health pioneers like Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Michael Lerner
- Advanced our understanding of the mind-body connection
- Opened first vegetarian health food store in New York City and later in Virginia
Interfaith Visionary
“In order to have a better world, a more peaceful world, we must learn to love, respect, and honor every human being. Celebrate and enjoy the diversity because you recognize the underlying unity. It’s time to know each other and to live as one global family.”
~ Sri Swami Satchidananda
He received many honors, including the U Thant Peace award, the Juliet Hollister Award, and the James P. Morton Interfaith Award, which he received posthumously during his 2014 birth centennial.
Swami Satchidananda was inspired to create a permanent place where all people could come to realize their essential oneness. In 1986, he crystallized these ideas by building the Light Of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) in Virginia, the first interfaith shrine to house altars for all of the world’s faiths. LOTUS India opened in 2014.
Living Yoga
Swami Satchidananda showed, by example, how inner peace and joy can be achieved by living Yoga. This hour-long documentary informs, entertains, and provokes self-inquiry. It includes talks by Swami Satchidananda and interviews with thought leaders on the positive impact of Yoga on wellness, education, peacekeeping, and the environment.
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Audiobooks
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The Yoga Sutras is a complete manual for the study and practice of Yoga. Through his translation and commentary on the classic text, Sri Swami Satchidananda shares his practical, down-to-earth advice on mastering the mind through applying the ancient, yet timeless techniques of Raja Yoga. Includes chanted sutras.
Beyond Words
The essence of Swami Satchidananda’s teachings, including his gentle humor, practical wisdom, profound insights and deep vision. Through stories, puns, parables, and examples, he enables his readers to discover for themselves the peace and joy that is within us all. Read by Madeline Starr
LIVING GITA
This modern translation and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) makes the deep spiritual truths of India’s “timeless classic” available to the Western mind in a fresh, relevant way. A lively, enjoyable masterpiece that will provide spiritual knowledge and inspiration for a lifetime. Read by Piyush Agarwal